Producing with Optimums Twig Marston, PhD Extension Beef Specialist Kansas State University

Dichotomies in Beef Industry

   Forage-based vs. Concentrate-based Individuality, Independence vs. Alliances Commodity-based vs. Value-based Marketing   Disciplined Breeding vs. Mongrelization Matching Cows to Production Environment vs. Matching Calves to the Marketing Environment

+ =

Optimum

  The greatest degree or best result obtained or obtainable under specific conditions.

 The best or most favorable point, degree, amount, etc., as of temperature, light, and moisture for the growth or reproduction of an organism.

Most favorable or desirable; best:

conditions

.

optimum

Defining the Best (Optimum) Cows    Low overall costs Low feed costs Average to above average weaning weight per cow exposed  High gross income Harlen Hughes

Recipe for the Optimum Cow

     Survives Her Environment Transfers Genetics from Bull to Bull Supports Her Offspring Does Her Own Work Produces Salvage Value

Necessity Traits

   Structure / Soundness – Feet and Legs – Udder and Teat – Hair Shedding Domesticated and Long Lived Reproductive – Age at Puberty – Number of Services/Conception – Short PPI

Developing the “Optimum Animal”  Changing Gene Frequency – EPD as indicator traits – Independent Culling Levels – ERT to simplify the EPD maze – Selection indexes / $Values  DNA Gene - Marker Selection

Facts about Cows

 As cow weight increases feed intake increases  As cow milk potential increases maintenance energy requirements increases  Selection for direct growth requires more feed inputs

Relationship between Cow Production & Carcass Traits

HCWt Retail Prod.

LMA Marbling WBSF Weight 0.81

-0.05

0.34

-0.15

0.15

Height 0.69

0.03

0.32

-0.17

0.22

BCS 0.23

-0.12

0.24

-0.03

0.08

Nephawe et al., 2004 MARC

Economic Value of Milk EPD

15 10 5 0 -5 -20 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30 -10 0 10 20 30 40 Low Feed $ Mod Feed $ High Feed $ 50

Calving Interval by Milk & Growth Genetics

390.1

385.2

384.3

378.3

High Milk-High Growth Low Milk-Low Growth 1st-2nd Calf 2nd-3rd Calf

Cowtek Inc.; 400,000 females; 7 breeds; 2000

A positive correlation exists between Marbling and Milk EPDs. Marston, 2004

Longevity of X-Bred Cows

MacNeil et al., 1994 Size of Sire breed Medium Medium Large Large Milk Production Medium High Medium High Semi-arid Northern Plains environment Remained in herd after 6 years 66% 54% 47% 38%

Bend the Growth Curve

1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 0 1 2

B A

3 4 5 6

A selection index that results in maximum genetic gain for a given selection intensity can be computed iteratively for any profit function with continuous differentials within the multi dimensional response ellipse.

Pasternak & Weller, 1993, Anim. Prod. 55:43-50.

Angus $Values

   Well Researched and Carefully Defined Bio-Economic Production System Orientated – Cow Energy Value ($EN) – Weaned Calf Value ($W) – Feedlot Value ($F) – Grid Value ($G) – Beef Value ($B)

Using the $Indexes

   Total Herd Concept – β 1 $EN + β 2 $W + β 3 $B = Perfect Beast Particular Production Area – An area of emphasis or customer need – Example $W = sell wean calves & maintain cowherd Component Solutions – Single trait or few trait selection –  Ribeye Area to  Yield Grade to  %CAB

Finding the Balance

Pregnancy Rate Survival Weaning Weight Milk Production Hot Carcass Growth Weight Carcass Traits Retail Product

10 2 2

Milton, 1995

Cows That Step Up to the Challenge

Three Paradigms of Beef Producers

  Red Meat Producer – Record keeper, cost efficient, focused on red meat  Cattle Producer – Labor user, task-driven, no effective use of information Food Producer – Complex, targeting product characteristics which are multi-dimensional and directly related to known tastes and preferences of consumers

The Future of the Paradigms

   Cattle Producer – will be around because of the love and romance of the business, will stay in business if not over leveraged.

Red Meat Producer – will survive with the commodity side of the business.

Food Producer – will be rewarded by those that know the value of quality. Driven by the cost and quality controlled production of food made from beef.

Quality Thoughts

   We can now make more mistakes faster than ever before.

Those who refuse to use data will make greater and more frequent mistakes.

Those who refuse to make data will be compensated with a smaller piece of the pie.

 Those who control the data control the destiny of the industry.

“There is little use in going fast if the direction is wrong.” B.P. Kinghorn